Yes, I know it is not, and not even close. However, this sermon came up recently, and I had never posted it, so I thought I would today.
Here are some facts you may or may not know about Mother’s day:
Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia decided that mother’s day would be a wonderful way to honor her deceased mother. Two years later, Jarvis and friends began a letter-writing campaign to create a Mother’s Day observance.
Soon after, in 1914, the US Congress passed legislation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
How Many Mothers are there?
75 million
Estimated number of mothers of all ages.
67
Percentage of women in Kentucky, ages 15 to 44, who are mothers. This is among the highest rates in the nation. The national average is 57 percent.
Facts, facts can’t really tell us what mothers are about. We all had one. We looked up to them for years but what are they really? Who are they and why do we have them, other than for the obvious, or is it. Just because someone has a child, does not in itself, make them a mother. When we think of mother’s day, we think of mommy, mom…..that person who when we were growing and learning, was there for us each and every time.
It is really amazing, or is it, how many things that mothers do, that can be related to passages in the bible. When we are in need of comfort, they are there. Just like in 1 Peter, Chapter 5:7 “Cast all you anxiety on him because he cares for you. Or in Ps 91:15, He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. When you need mom, she is standing there right beside you, if not even holding you.
Mother’s do all sort of things that fathers would not think of doing. Fathers have this ability to push it off and be the “tough” guy, while the mother takes on the challenge of loving this little human, who some day will be all grown up. Mothers only ask for love in return, but even when they do not get that, they still love their children. As the child grows and learns from mom, they start to become independent. This independence of doing vs being done for can be difficult on mom. They may joke that they can’t wait for the day that their child can move out and life becomes much more simple, but deep down, they long for one thing, to hold their child close, no matter what age, no matter what the child has done or not done, and give and receive love.
All that mom’s do is about love. All that God does for us is about Love. To love is to be more like God. To love is to be “Christ Like”. What is more Godly and Christ like than the motherly love of a parent to their child? Teaching us, and loving us.
In Jeremiah 16:21 it is written, “Therefore I will teach them— this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD.”
In John 14:21 Mother’s Love is show to us in the passage “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
I remember growing up and although my parents did not take us to Church, nor even teach us about God, God put his love into my mother and she taught us how to love. The staying up with us when we were sick. She taught us right from wrong, sometimes with punishment, but really, it was we that made our punishment, not her. I can recall the fun that my mom tried to bring to us. She use to ride bikes with my sister and I. Roller skate, play catch, and tag. All those things that I am sure on the surface she not have really wanted to do, but did them out of love for us and to be our mother.
Can you be a mother, without ever bearing a child? You bet you can. Sometimes I would think that these are the greatest mothers of all. They have willing taken on the responsibility for a child that they did not give birth to. They do all the things a birth parent does and even more. This is true agopy love, the kind of love that does not ask for payment. The kind of love that is show to us in the father and son. In John 3:16 we are shown this type of love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Mothers do not want to part with their Children, and neither does God. He allowed his son to be sacrificed, just so he could keep us all with him.
When I began to write this sermon, I really was unsure what to say. I kept getting ramblings in my head. What is a mother? How can I really explain what a mother is? I wanted to be able to give the perfect example of what a mom was. To hold this example up for all to follow. However God did this for me. In 1 John 4:9 it is said “God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son, into the world that we might live through him.” Christ, the anointed one is that example to us. He is all that is good in a mother. A perfect example of motherly love. An example that mothers live by, is the actions of Jesus. He loves us no matter what. He will be there to comfort, protect and teach us.
Mothers have been important since creation. Eve was given the blessing to bear children. To be the mother of the entire world. Through Eve, God would have his children, the human beans living on this third rock from the sun. The bible mentions the word mother just,,, a few times. In the N I V, the word mother is listed 237 times in 224 separate verses. I would say there is some importance to that word mother.
In our reading today from John, Jesus is explaining that he must leave the apositles. However that he will come again to them. Before that time, God and the Holy Spirit will come to the apositles and teach them and remind them of what Jesus has taught. Jesus speaks about obeying what he has taught and if this is done, then the father will love them.
Mothers ask for obedience and out of it, they return to their children their love. As a parent, or someone who even knows a parent, sometimes love can be a difficult thing. We continually do things that God does not like, let along love at all times. Jesus gave us the plan, the greatest commandments to make all, fall into place. In Matthew 22 starting at verse 36, Jesus says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.” If we could do this, all would fall into place, right? However, we are human, and yes, we do not do what we are told. What a struggle God must go through seeing all that we do that goes against what we should. It takes such great strength to withstand these rejections we give him. Fortunately God gave us Jesus. He is the bridge between us and God. He is the filter that God uses to see us.
If we did not struggle, how could we grow to become more Christ like? Mothers raise children, from birth to the time they move out, or at least most move out. When that child hits the teen years, that is when mom really has to start to love the most. Dad’s love as well, but we get to put up that tough attitude, even though, even if we will not admit it, we love our children just as much, and struggle as much as mom with raising of our children. The teaching, protecting, and comforting. Well, maybe not as comforting as we should be when we tell the kid “come on now, toughen up. No need to cry.” But mom, she is right there in the midst of it all being the balance between the child and father.
When that teen kid wants to completely reject mom. The daughter is to grown up to hang with mom. The boy doesn’t want to look like no mama’s boy. Wow, all those years of caring and loving, and they are just snatched away. Well, I really think that the teens just want to see how far our love goes. Is that what we are doing with God ourselves? He has told us, but do we always believe? Are we not like Thomas who said he would not believe until he saw for himself and put his hand in the side of Jesus and put his fingers in the holes of Jesus’ hands?
We are told and shown the love. Love Love Love. To quote Pastor Ben from one of my Diakonia classes, “it is all about love”. Yet, we still reject the love sometimes. It is fortunate that we have mothers to remind us that it is all about love. For they show the love to us each and every day. Love that can be seen. That we can touch and put our hands inside of and poke our fingers through. Look at your mom’s today, give them a hug and say “Mom, thanks for being my mom, thanks for loving me, in spite of me. Mom……I love you with all my heart”.
I would like to end today with a story that was shared with me. Now I do not agree with the theology of the story, but the message is there and the message is about mothers and about love.
STORY
A baby asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth Tomorrow,but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?”
“Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”
The child further inquired, “But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have
to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.”
God said, “Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy.”
Again the child asked, “And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?”
God said, “Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.”
“And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”
God said, “Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you
how to pray.”
“Who will protect me?”
God said, “Your angel will defend you even if it means risking it’s life.”
“But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.”
God said, “Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.”
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, “God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.”
“You will simply call her, “Mom.”